Historic Fredericksburg: The Story of an Old Town

by John T. Goolrick

Mayors of Fredericksburg

The following is a chronological list of mayors of Fredericksburg with the number of years served by each: Dr. Charles Mortimer, 3; William McWilliams, 1; James Somerville, 3; George Weedon, 1; George French, 8; Benjamin Day, 2; William Harvey, 2 and less than a month of the third year, when he died in office; Fontaine Maury, 3; William Taylor, 1; David C. Ker, 2; William S. Stone, 1; Charles L. Carter, 1 year and six months, resigning when half his first term was out; William Smock, six months, serving the unexpired half of Charles L. Carter’s first term; Richard Johnston, 1; Joseph Walker, 1; John Scott, 1; Garret Minor, 2; Robert Mackay, 2; David Briggs, 1.

Briggs’ term ended in March, 1821. Up to this time no mayor had served more than 1 year consecutively, but after this date several served for many years following each other. Following Briggs was Robert Lewis, who died in office after nearly nine years; Thomas Goodwin, died in office after nearly seven years; John H. Wallace, 2; Benjamin Clarke 6; Robert Baylor Semple, died in office after nearly nine years; John L. Marye, Jr., 1; Peter Goolrick, 3 years and one month, resigning just after the beginning of his fourth term and almost immediately before the Civil War; John S. Cardwell, 2; William S. Scott, 1; Montgomery Slaughter, the War Mayor, who succeeded Peter Goolrick, (when the latter resigned because the council had refused to endorse some of his appointments), and served until removed by the military authorities after a few days more than eight years. He was succeeded by Charles E. Mallam, appointed by the military authorities in April, 1868, and removed by them in just a little more than a year. William E. Nye, who followed, was appointed by the military but resigned in less than a year. He was succeeded by Lawrence B. Rose, elected by the council and twice later by the people, serving altogether 5 years, two months and twenty days, dying during his last term; William Roy Mason, resigning after serving twenty-seven days of his first term, to which he was elected by the people. Robert Banks Berrey, 2; Hugh S. Doggett, 3; Joseph W. Sener, 4; Josiah Hazard, 4; Absalom Rowe, 9 years and eleven months, dying in office during his last term; W. Seymore White, 1 year and not quite five months, dying in office; Henry R. Gouldman, seven months; Marion G. Willis, 6 years; Thomas P. Wallace, 4; H. Lewis Wallace, 4; Josiah P. Rowe, a son of Absalom Rowe, 8; J. Garnett King is at present serving.

So far as can be gathered ex-Mayor J. P. Rowe is the only son of a mayor who ever held the same office which his father had filled before him.

Building of the Railroad

The Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad, the great Trunk Line between the North and the South, in 1837 completed its line to Fredericksburg by rail, a stage line thence to Potomac Creek, and steamer connection was made from here to Washington. In 1842, on the 18th of November, the line was completed to Aquia Creek, making it a total of 75 miles in length. In 1860 Peter V. Daniel was elected president, and during his administration the road was fearfully damaged by the Civil War. In 1865, the company, after much rebuilding, again opened service to Aquia Creek. In 1872 the line was extended to Quantico, and connecting there with the Washington-Quantico road, filled in the missing link of railway from the North to the South.

The railroad has always been financially successful and has provided a service of exceptional convenience. It has the remarkable record of never having killed a passenger within its cars, and but two from any cause whatever. Under the Hon. Eppa Hunton it operates now with great efficiency and over its tracks pass a string of trains during all of the twenty-four hours. On all of its trains an employee calls attention just before passing the house where Stonewall Jackson died. The house has been purchased and preserved to posterity by the railroad—an act for which it deserves the highest commendation, as it does for the monument it generously built at Hamilton’s Crossing, where heavy fighting occurred during the battle of Fredericksburg.

Jefferson Davis’ Speech

Jefferson Davis, when a member of the Senate, was loath to leave that body and opposed breaking up of the Union. But, when his own State of Mississippi called, he answered. He had been educated at West Point and had fought in Mexico. When the representatives met at Montgomery, Alabama, and elected him President of the Confederacy, he accepted. When the seat of government was moved to Richmond, he, of course, came with it.

Soon after this he paid Fredericksburg a visit and while in the town was a guest of Temple Doswell, Esq., at his home on the corner of Princess Anne and Lewis Streets. As soon as it was known that he was here a band, accompanied by a multitude of citizens and Confederate soldiers, gave him a complimentary reception, to which he replied, in a brief address, from the porch. The writer remembers very clearly how he appeared. He was tall, thin, beardless, slightly bald, dressed in black broad cloth that was slightly worn looking.